Nidijication of Indian Birds. 231 



less, and is extremely fragile, though more of a soft than 

 brittle nature. Fourteen eggs average 0" 94 X 0"-58, and tlie 

 extremes in length arc 0"-92 and l"-00, and in breadth 0"-56 

 and 0"-60. 



The birds breed principally in the end of May and June, 

 but their eggs may be taken throughout July and not seldom 

 as early as the latter half of April. 



30. Spizixus CAXiFRONs. {Outes, op. cit. i. p. 280.) 

 The nest of this Bulbal cannot possibly be mistaken for that 

 of any other, nor, indeed, do I know of any bird of any other 

 family for whose nest it could be taken. The birds of the genus 

 lanthocincla, more especially/, rufoyularis, build A^ery similar 

 nests, but, though the type is the same, their much greater 

 size is alone sufficient to preclude all danger of wrong identi- 

 fication. The Finch-billed Bulbul, in selecting materials for 

 building, scarcely ever takes anything but the tendrils of dif- 

 ferent climbing plants, and, considering their stiff and often 

 rather unwieldy character, it is wonderful what a compact, 

 stoutly made nest he manages to construct. Outwardly almost 

 any kind of tendril which is sufficiently pliable is used, but for 

 the inner part the bird seems to prefer the fine, but strong, 

 tendrils of the small yellow ground-convolvulus, which arc 

 straight throughout four fifths of their length. As a rule 

 there is no real lining, but in a few nests a withered scrap or 

 two of bracken may be found, or even, more rarely, two or 

 three bents or grass-stems. Outwardly it is difficult to give 

 any precise measurements, for, from the very nature of the 

 articles used, the ends stick out in all directions, but inwardly 

 they average about 2f inches in diameter, by under 1 in 

 depth. The contrast in colour is often very striking between 

 the reddish-yellow convulvuli snekevs and tendrils \\hich 

 form the inner portion of the nest, and the greenish- and 

 greyish-brown ones which form the outer part. 



Nearly all the nests I have taken have been placed in 

 scraggy bushes and saplings at heights varying from 5 to 

 10 feet from the ground ; they are generally fixed in between 

 several upright twigs, less often instoutish forks. One nest 



